Heel splash guard



Sept. 3, 1963 B. SCHROUGHAM HEEI.. SPLASH GUARD W o maz/ W f fwbr 11m /Hm f w i zw/w,

Filed oc'z. 15, 1962 Z! BY United States Patent 3,1e2,346 L HEEL SPLASH GUARD Benton Schrougharn, 243 S. 25th St., Beech Grove, Ind. Filed Oct. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 230,505 4 Claims. (Cl. 36-70) 'The present invention relates to a heel Splash guard the primary function of which is to protect the rear portions and the heel of a lady's shoe, and to protect her hose and the lower portions of other garments, against soilmg by dirty water splashing from the pavement or thrown by the distal portion of her shoe heel as the lady walks during or immediately after a rain storm. The primary object of the invention is to provide a light, inconspicuous, inexpensive device for accompishing the above purpose, so constructed as to provide maximum protection for the areas in question without dragging on the pavement and without the hazard which results from the possibility that such a device may find its way under a shoe heel to impede normal walking or possibly to cause the turning of the user*s ankle by interfering with proper support of the shoe heel on the pavement.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds. a

(To the aocomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of my invention in use position, showing the heel of the wearers shoe in supported relation on a pavement or other surface;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the Strap means forming an element of the Splash guard, viewed from the rear and in open condition;

PIG. 3 is an isometric, exploded view, drawn substantially to the Scale of FIG. 1 and showing the' strap means in condition to receive the proximal end of a guard tongue forming an element of the illustrated Splash guard;

FIG. 4 is a similar view of a modified form of guard tongue;

FlG. 5 is a front, isometric view of the Splash guard in assembled condition; and

fFIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the wearefs tarsal joint in flexed condition, and the shoe heel raised ofl:` the pavement, as the wearer takes a forward step with the other foot.

It is common experience for a lady, especially when wearing high-heeled shoes, to find, after walking even a short distance through a rain or over wet ground or pavements, that her shoe heels, the rearward portions of her shoes, her hose and even the nether portions of her slacks or skirts are Stained with splatter marks. It has often been supopsed that such Splattering results from the force with which rain drops strike the ground or from the Splashing of passersby; but I have 'discovered by experimentation that it results primarily from droplets thrown by inertia from the shoe heels, and principally from the distal tips thereof, of the lady herself as she walks. I have further established that, through the use of the Splash guard herein disclosed, Such splattering may be zlargely and sometimes wholly, prevented.

Referning more particularly to the dra'wings, it will be seen that the illustrated Splash guarrd comprises Strap means indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and which may preferably oonsist of 'a single piece of fleXible material such as le ather, 'Synthetic plastic or fa'bric, comprising a body portion -11 disposed 'between oppositely-extending, flexible :arms 12 and `13. Near its distal 3,l02,346 Patented Sept. 3, 1963 'ice end, the arm 12 carries one or more male 'elements 14 of Separable fastener means, while the arm 13 carries one or more female elements `15 of such separable fastening means. As shown, the twopart separalble fastening means comprises conventional 'means of the 'snap variety, so constructed and arranged as to connect together the distal ends of the |arms 12 and '13 in a plurality of -relationshi'ps, thereby to provide for Variation in the peripheral dimension of the Strap means when closed. While I presently prefer the illustriated form of |separable fastening means, it will be understood that any other conventional form of fastening means, including slidable buckle or tonguebuckle means, may be used without departing from the scope of the .present invention.

The Strap means 10 is so proportioned and designed as snugly to encircle the tarsus region v161 of a 'wearer's foot, closely 'below the tarsal joint 17.

In the illustrated embodiment of the inventi-on, the body portion 11 includes a downwardly extending tongue 13 and `an upwardly extending, fiexible flap 19. The elements of 'a two-part separable fastening means are respectively carried 'by said 'body portion 'and 'by said flap 19 in such relation that, when the flap is fiexed rearwardly and downwardly, as shown in FIGS. 1, '3, 5 and 6, the two parts of the fastening means may be brought into cooperative engaging relation. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the male element 20 of the fastening means is carried by the :Strap body and the female element 21 is canried by the fiap 19.

A guard tongue 22 may be formed of any Suita'ble, substantiaily water-proof, sheet material such as leather, rubber or Synthetic plastic; and near its upper or proximal end 23, said tongue is provided with an opening 24 therethrough. The tongue is So proportioned and designed that its proximal end 23 Imay the received between. the 'body of the Strap means 10 and the flap 19, when said flap is so rearwardly iand downwardly lflexed, the male element 20 of the fastening means penetrating the hole .24 to be cooper-atively engaged by the female element 21, whereby the tongue 22 will be secured in place in dependent relation to the Strap means 10.

The tongue 22 is So proportioned that, when the Strap means is secured, 'as above descri'bed, in encircling relation to the user's tansus, said tongue will closely conform to the rearmost portion of the users shoe 25 and will span the width of the shoe heel 27; but when the 'bottom 27 of the shoe heel 26 lbears upon a supporting surface such as a pavement or floor, the lower part of the tongue will be spaced reanwardly from the shoe heel and the distal end 28 of the tongue will be disposed Somewhat above that supporting surface in the manner shown with some slight exaggeration in FIG. 1. When, howe'ver, the user fiexes her tarsal joint 17 as her other foot moves forward to take a step, thus raising the 'bottom 27 of the shoe heel 26 from the supporting Surface, the shoe heel will be elevated with respect to the tongue 22 to a level above the distal end 28 of said tongue, thereby tending to catch and Stop any liquid droplets thrown from the heel and most eifectively 'protecting the wearers garments against splashmg.

As the other lfoot is placed solidly on the pavement, the user will lift her illustrated foot, move it forward and place it again solidly on the pavement; but 'by this time the tarsal joint Will have returned to the condition illustrated in PIG. 1, Whereby the 'bottom 27 of the shoe heel 26 'will again have moved to |a position 'below the distal end 28 of the tongue 22, :so that said tongue will not come into contact with the pavement iand cannot get under the users shoe heel as that heel :is placed on the pavement.

As suggested in FIG. 4, tongues of various lengths and proportions may 'be selectively used in the Strap means '10, to confonm to shoe styles. Thus the tongue 22' illustrated in FIG. 4 is designed for use fwith shoes having Cuban heels. When desired, the user may disengage the elements 20 'and 21, remove the tongue 22, enter the element '20 in the hole 24' near the proximal end 23' of the tongue 22', and then reengage the elements 2G 'and 21. The tongue 22' Will be so proportioned that, when the :splash guard lis Worn With shoes having Cuban heels, the distal end 28' `of the tongue 2,2' will cooperate With the Cu'ban heel in the same manner in which the tongue 22 cooperates with the heel 26.

I claim -as my invention:

1. A heel splash guard comprising strap means proportioned and designed to encircle the tarsus of a user closely below the tarsal joint, separable fastener means for holding said strap means in such encircling arrangement, and tongue means dependent from said strap means -at the rear thereof, the length of said tongue means being so related to the height of the |heel of a shoe being Worn by the user that, when the bottom of the shoe heel engages a supporting surface, the distal end of said tongue means is suspended above that surface but When the tarsal joint is flexed by the user to take a step, the bottom of the shoe heel Will be lifted above the distal end of said tongue.

2. The heel Splash guard of claim 1 including separable fastener means removably securing said tongue means to said Strap means.

3. The heel Splash guard of claim 1 including an up- Wardly extending, fiexible fiap carried by said strap means v intermediate its ends, separable i-fastener means comprising a male part and Va mating vfemale part, one such part being carried by the body of said Strap means and the other part being carried by said fiap, said tongue being provided With a hole therethrough near its proximal end, and said f'astener parts being engageabie When said fiap is flexed rear- Wardly and downwardly, with the proximal end of said tongue interposed between said Strap means body and said fiap and said male fastener part penetnating said hole.

4. The heel Splash guard of 'claim 3 in which said male fastener part is carried by said str-ap means 'body 'and said female fastener part is carried by said fiap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Geers et al Nov. 28, 1939 Denzer Jan. 17, 1950 Robinson Sept. 5, 1950 

1. A HEEL SPLASH GUARD COMPRISING STRAP MEANS PROPORTIONED AND DESIGNED TO ENCIRCLE THE TARSUS OF A USER CLOSELY BELOW THE TARSAL JOINT, SEPARABLE FASTENER MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID STRAP MEANS IN SUCH ENCIRCLING ARRANGEMENT, AND TONGUE MEANS DEPENDENT FROM SAID STRAP MEANS AT THE REAR THEREOF, THE LENGTH OF SAID TONGUE MEANS BEING SO RELATED TO THE HEIGHT OF THE HEEL OF A SHOE BEING WORN BY THE USER THAT, WHEN THE BOTTOM OF THE SHOE HEEL ENGAGES A SUPPORTING SURFACE, THE DISTAL END OF SAID TONGUE MEANS IS SUSPENDED ABOVE THAT SURFACE BUT WHEN THE TARSAL JOINT IS FLEXED BY THE USER TO TAKE A STEP, THE BOTTOM OF THE SHOE HEEL WILL BE LIFTED ABOVE THE DISTAL END OF SAID TONGUE. 